Food server



Patented oci. 11, 1932 UNITED ySTATES PATENT? OFFICE LOUISE Z. NEWCOMB, QF WALWORTH, WISCONSIN, .ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HERMAN U. KREBSER, 0F ELGIN, ILLINOIS FOOD SERVER Application led December 13, 1929. Serial No. 413,721.

or cool place, depending whether or not the food is originally prepa-red'hot or cold. Obviously, while the food may be kept hot or cold, as the case may be, it is difficult to preserve it at the proper temperature or in the same palatable condition as originally prev pared. Special utensils have been provided for preserving food for a limitedtime after preparation, but these devices have possessed disadvantages which have precluded them from being used to any considerable extent; among which are relatively high cost, unsanitlary construction, and lack of safety in han- Ingaddition to the occasional necessity for preserving food for later consumption in the home, as above set forth, there is a need for a practical utensil for use in hospitals and like institutions where it is necessary to feed the patients in their rooms and, ,of course where it is highly desirable to serve the foo in the same condition in which it is repared. In hotels it is also customary to urnish guests meals, either hot or cold, in their rooms, occasionally at least.

The present invention has for its objects to produce a simple and inexpensive, yet practical utensil in which` foods may be preserved so as to be served in a palatable condition forl consumption at a considerable' time after preparation; to insu-re safet in handling the device; to provide for rea ily cleaning the' nations and arrangementsv of parts as hereinafter described and pointed out with particularity in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification and illustrating in a simple structure a practical embodiment of the invention,-

Fig. 1 is atop plan view of the assembled y utensil, a portion of the cover member being broken away to show the interior arrangement ofthe food tray; and

Fig. 2 is a diametrical section, taken on or about the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the device therein shown comprises a unitary utensil including a thermal receptacle 45, a cooperating food container 6, and a cover member 7, each of said elements being constructed and cor related as hereinafter moregfully set forth in detail.

The thermal receptacle 5 is a pan-like member having preferably a flat bottom 8 and upwardly Haring side walls 9, said member lbeing preferably circular in to receptacle 5 is double-walled, the inner andouter 'wall sections 10 and 11 being spaced apart throughout the extent thereo and being seamed and securely sealed at their margins, as at 12, said seamed portion 12 being preferably formed as an external annular ornamentaland strengthening bead. The space plan. The i aov between the inner and outer wall sections 10 and 11 may be filled with a suitable insulation material 13, or, obviously, there may bev dead airspace between them; or said space may have a vacuum created therein, according to any desired or approved method of insulating devices of this character'.y The annular side walls of the food container 6 are tapered correspondingly to the .taper of the inner face of the receptacle 5 so as to lit snugly and be thereby supported' within said receptacle 5, and constituting a removable closure for a-chamber 14, in which may be placed a suitable heating or cooling agent,

as the case may be, preferably water. The

food container 6n1ay be made as a plain dish ortray internally, but, preferably, it is provided with cross partitions 15,' dividing it into separate food receiving compartments.

The upperside wall portion 16 of the food container 6 is offset outwardly, providing an annular shoulder portion at the margin of 4 flangel8 of the cover member 7 the edge portion 19 of said marginal flange`18 of the cover member 7 being preferabl beaded, as shown.

A suitable handle mem er 2O may be provided for the cover member 7 at. the middle thereof, as shown, and the receptacle 5 may obviously be provided with suitable handle members 21.

All corners at the juncture ofthe bottom 22 of the food container 6 with the side walls and the partitions 15 thereof are formed with well rounded fillets, and all upper corners are likewise well rounded, as at 211. The corner where the bottom and side walls of the receptacle 5 meet is also rounded, as at 25. The rounding of the corners of the several parts of the device facilitates cleansing and maintaining the device in a sanitary condition. The rounding of the outer corner portion 26 of the food container 6 facilitates the insertion-.of said container into the receptacle 5, the taper of the cooperating engaging annular wall faces being such that said container 6 fits snugly within said receptacle 5 so as to be firmly supported and at the same time afford a sealed closure, which prevents leakage of the liquid heating or cooling agency from the chamber 14, and yet said food container 6 is readily removable from the receptacle 5 at will.

The shell of the receptacle 5 may be made of any suitable material but, preferably, it is constructed of an inexpensive non-corrosive or rust-resistant sheet metal, as is also the cover 7. However, these parts may be .constructed of more expensive or precious metal, to suit the purse and'desires of the purchaser and user in accordance with other waresof this character. The plate container vmay be made of any suitable material, por

celain, glass or metal, as desired; it being preferred, of course, to use a material of nonf 56 corrosive character which will withstand subjection to high and low temperature.

By insulating the outer receptacle 5 in ac-v cordance with the present. invention the utens1l lmay be handled without danger from burning or frosting the hands of the user andthe preparedy food maintained at the same temperature as whenv originally pre- Y pared for a'considerable length of time and,

furthermore, the original savory and palatable condition of the-food is maintained by the provision ofthe tight fitting cover for the food container, said cover being readily removable, yet it will remain securely in place by reason of the engagement of its peculiarly-ared marginal portion with the tainer;

Obviously, the chamber- 14 in the receptacle 5 may contain -hot or cold water, or an electrical or'other suitable heating element, ice or other cooling medium, and the utensil may be modified considerably instructure without in the least departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the ap' pended claims. The invention, therefore, is not limited to the exact construction and arrangement shownin the drawing.

Having thus described my invention, what f I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is ,f

1 A food server comprising a double wall .insulated receptacle adapted to contain a thermal agent, said receptacle having an outwardly and upwardly iaring side wall portion, a food container having a correspondingly tapering side wall portion whereby said food container may be detachably inserted into said receptacle and supported therein by engagement between the faces of the adjacent wallportions of the receptacle and container, a circumferentially tapered marginal portion on the upper end of said container, and a cover member. having a correspondingly flaredmarginal portion whereby said cover may be supported upon said 'container in closed position by means of the engagement portions.

l2. A food server comprising a double wall insulated receptacle adapted to contain a thermal agent, said receptacle having an outwardly and upwardly flaring side wall portion, a food container having a correspondbetween the faces of the adjacent marginal ingly tapering side wall portion whereby said food container may be detachably inserted into said receptacle and supported therein by engagement between the faces of the adjacent wall portions of the receptacle and container, the upperend of said wall portion of the container being offset outwardly 

